The following editorial first appeared in the September 9, 2002, Senior Sample, a weekly publication read by many veterans and senior citizens in St. George and Washington County, Utah. 

As World War II veterans, or members of the World War II generation, most of us were born between 1916 and 1927.  We paid the same Social Security taxes as others, but we are denied equal treatment when it comes to Social Security entitlements.  It was Congress that screwed things up, and they should be pressured into making restitution.  Every veterans’ organization should be applying that pressure.  This is a pure and simple case of equal treatment under the law.

About the Congressional Pay Raise and "Notch Reform"

Congress is about to vote itself a $5,000 annual pay raise.  But they have yet to rectify the mistake that resulted in 9 million American citizens—many of whom are members of the WWII generation and World War II veterans—receiving less in Social Security benefits than their fellow Americans.  I am referring to the manner in which Congress has been dragging its feet regarding restitution for the 9 million Americans classified as "Notch Victims."  These are Americans who were born in the years from 1917 through 1926.

The Notch Fairness Act bills of 2001—H.R. 97, H.R. 853, and S. 825—were introduced by Representatives Ralph Hall (D-TX), Robert Wexler (D-FL) and Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), but they need additional co-sponsors and support in Congress. In short, Congress needs to act!

The aforementioned bills would provide a $5,000 settlement or an increased monthly benefit for Notch Victims to compensate for the lower benefits checks received since Congress screwed up in 1977 while attempting to replace a flawed Social Security benefits formula. The result is that 9 million Americans are being wrongfully denied of a portion of their Social Security benefits.

According to TREA Senior Citizens League, an affiliate of The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), over 100 members of Congress co-sponsored similar legislation when it was introduced in the last Congress.  It failed to pass, however, hence the need for passage this time around.

I mentioned the fact that most of the Notch Victims are of the World War II generation, members of which are passing on in alarming numbers. Could it be that one reason Congress is dragging its feet when it comes to rectifying their mistake, is that the longer they wait, the less costly the settlement will be, hence more money will be available for them to spend on "pork"?

Think about it!

Meanwhile, you need to urge your Representatives and Senators to get with it, and to sponsor and pass the Notch Fairness Acts of 2001.

You might also make certain your name, or the name of a Notch Victim relative, is included on the TREA Senior Citizens League’s Notch Reform Petition at http://action.tscl.org/NotchVictimsSettlement.asp.

To read another of Channing Smith's articles, "FRANKLY SPEAKING...About the We and Us who are "Notch Victims," click here: http://www.tscl.org/NewContent/101683.asp.

December 2002